Spas have been constructed of unitary, fiber glass construction with associated heater, filters, motors and pumps to one side of the unit and connected by suitable piping. In the past, the controls have been provided interiorly of the residence or other building structure with the spa or pool located outside of that structure. Attempts have been made to incorporate some of the controls within the spa itself and accessible to the user when the user is within the spa. Some spas have a control panel exterior of the building but remote from the spa itself.
Spas or hot tubs, similar to outdoor swimming pools, are subject to unauthorized use by intruders on the property, particularly when the owners or users are absent from the residence. Where the controls are internally of the residence and the residence locked, this frustrates the use of the spas by intruders. However, this results in the necessity for setting the control internally which frustrates the user when the user is within the spa. Control systems for such spas are subject to the possibility of electrocution of the user within the spa where such control systems include a control unit incorporated within the spa itself or positioned adjacent to the spa subject to high voltage and within reach of the user while partially immersed.
While attempts have been made to isolate the control unit at the spa from the high voltage necessary for operating the heater, motors, pumps and blowers, such isolation has not always been effectively achieved or maintained.
Where the spa is subject to water freeze during the winter, water may be circulated by the pump through the heater and the heater set at low temperature to heat the water sufficiently to prevent such freezing. In the past, known control systems have failed to take care of the problem for insuring that the pump and the heater are operated under "freeze" conditions in the absence of owner initiation of such operation.
With respect to the piping leading to and from the spa and interlinked with the heater, filter units and pumps, such piping has been complicated with restriction of access to the thermostat for controlling the operation of the heater and pump in the circulating water loop. Further, such thermostat and its housing, in the past has interfered with proper flow of the circulated water.
Attempts have been made to overcome the problems described above, to simplify the spa structure and to provide a multiaccessible control system. U.S. patents illustrative of prior art spa constructions and specific controls, both spa side and remote from the spa itself are as follows: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,781,925, 4,393,527, 4,339,833, 4,385,724, 4,404,697, 4,409,694, and 4,564,962.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved spa construction which may be readily installed exterior to or within a residence include a waterproof, low voltage, spa side control unit integrated to the spa shell for control of the circulating water temperature (heater), pump operation, blower and spa light, wherein operation of the spa is from the interior of the spa itself in which said spa side control unit is fully waterproof, is of simplified construction and is of relatively low cost.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a spa construction of this type, wherein the control system includes a vacation switch which prevents normal operation and control of the spa by the spa side control unit but which includes a freeze override for running the pump and heater to maintain the water temperature slightly above freezing, and wherein the control system utilizes a key operated switch within the control panel at the equipment area for maximum security and wherein the spa construction includes the thermostat well assembly integrated to the circulating water suction pipe, having no adverse effect on the flow rate of the water circulated through the heater at the equipment area and permitting ready access to the thermostat for removal and replacement.
Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiments are set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.